Thursday, March 26, 2009

Vermont Governor Jim Douglas is threatening to veto the marriage equality bill that has sailed through the senate by a 26-4 vote, and now goes on to the house for final approval.

He maintains that civil unions are equal and that Vermont needs to focus on the economy. Yet, when asked if he would trade his marriage for a civil union, he swiftly replies that he would not. What he also fails to realize is that gay marriage is a boost for the economy, and that going against the majority of the people and the legislature is unconstitutional.

Please urge everyone regardless of their home state, to call AND email the governor and tell him to retract his message and support marriage equality.

Governor Douglas, I'm a concerned citizen from New York and I read about your threat to veto the marriage equality bill ("gay/same-sex marriage") that recently passed in the Vermont senate 26-4. You cite the economy as justification. First of all, more marriage will stimulate the economy. Second of all, however, marriage equality is not just another piece of legislation. It determines other peoples' lives, health, happiness, security, individual economy, and overall well-being. Civil unions grant the citizens of Vermont state-wide rights and responsibilities, but there are still another 1000+ FEDERAL rights and responsibilities that you will continue to withhold from your constituents and their families. Anti-equality and homophobic initiatives such as vetoing this bill only serve to perpetuate anti-gay attitudes and further marginalise the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community.

Maybe I am wrong here, but I thought that the marriage benefits were denied on a federal level. If a state gets marriage for gays, do they then get the 1100+ federal benefits that those with civil unions do not have? I am confused here. Do married gays in CT and MA get the federal benefits, or are they still denied those by the federal DOMA?

I believe I speak out for all peoples, everywhere in saying that tolerance is not enough. Tolerance promotes a "live and let live" policy, which does not address the difference. Acceptance and equality is essential. How can the American people accept that there is nothing wrong with homosexuality if our leaders do not promote that message. Instead, lawmakers across the country cry "what rights they have are sufficient." Until we are at a point where all couples are given equal rights and utilities, gay or straight, the message to the people from the government will always be "they're here... they're loud... we might as well throw them a bone to make them quiet down."